51 Percent Of Colorado Residents Think Marijuana Law Is Damaging To State's Image

A Maryland Police Chief apologized for citing a false story about dozens of people dying from pot overdoses in an attempt to quash a marijuana legalization bill. (Photo : Wikipedia Commons)

A new Quinnipiac poll demonstrates a majority of Colorado residents believe the new marijuana law is damaging the state's overall image, CNN reported.

Though support for marijuana legalization continues to climb in the state, 51 percent of Colorado voters believe the new law is negatively affecting the state's image, while 38 percent disagree and 10 percent are unsure.

The new law, enacted on January 1, allows residents to sell marijuana and grow up to a dozen plants in their home. In the poll, more than seven in 10 participants said they wouldn't mind if a neighbor was growing it in their house.

"Coloradans don't mind if their neighbors grow a little grass in their living room, but the prospect of big time grow houses next door is a turnoff," added Tim Malloy, assistant director of the Quinnipiac University Polling Institute, in a statement with the poll's release.

Additionally, 51 percent of participants said they used marijuana at one point in their lives.

The poll was taken by phone from January 29 to February 2 with 1,139 registered voters in the state. The overall sampling error is plus or minus 2.9 percentage points.

Last week, a poll by Farleigh Dickinson University found that 41 percent of New Jersey residents support the legalization of marijuana in small quantities for recreational use, compared to just 32 percent that said they supported online gambling, which is legal.

"These numbers point to the possibility that fertile ground exists in the state for those looking to expand legalization beyond medicinal use," poll director Krista Jenkins said. "Policymakers will likely be watching for changes in public opinion as the percentage difference between those in favor and opposed gets closer to the 50/50 mark. Right now, however, a majority of the public remains opposed."

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